Hello ALL

[IdahoGherl 0]

Just wanting info on the process...Anybody wanna help?:help:

[IdahoGherl 0]

Where can i get more info for boise idaho?Where do i get started?

[PhotoNut 7]

Heyas IdahoGherl.. Im in Boise. What are you wanting to know?

[IdahoGherl 0]

Where can i get more info on the procedure?Ive heard mostly about cost~how much would it be around the Boise area? Ive also heard alot about the "Fills" what arethe fills for? When you do it is it something that you'll be able to see.Like scars?

[mini_me 3]

The procedure is laparoscopic, with minimal scarring. I will be posting my scar pics this evening. My last steristrips fell off last night. I was banded on 3/13/06. I have 4 tiny scars, and one that is about the diameter of a quarter.

The fills are the magic potion for weight loss with the band. There is a port attached to the band with a small tube. My port is very small, a little bigger around that a quarter. It is implanted under the tissue in your abdomen. Mine is directly below my breastbone, and hardly noticeable, even with my current swelling. When the doc does a fill, he uses a small needle to inject the port with saline, which is delivered to the band. The band inflates like a balloon, restricting the opening between your new, smaller stomach pouch, and the larger old stomach. The fill does not cause scarring.

Looks like you just began looking in to this procedure. Good Luck!! You are definitely in the right place to find good information!

[IdahoGherl 0]

Thanks Alot MINI MI! I really need to get info im really intrested just have no idea where to start? Im From Boise I also had a question.. i guess im kinda scared to do it but what happenes? How is it inserted?Does it have different places where it can be inserted?Does it hurt? and about how much does it cost? Do you think insurance would cover it?I guess I have lots of questions and don't really know where to start!IM really glad i started lookin on the internet.!

[IdahoGherl 0]

I guess a really important question i have is ?Do you have to be a certain weight for them to do it?age? anything that might stop one from being able to do it?

[mini_me 3]

you typically must have a bmi of 40 or higher to have your insurance cover the procedure, that is, if they do not have an exclusion for obesity--but this is definitly NOT my area of expertise. I was self pay as my insurance would not cover it. It cost me $15,000. I am in Texas.

PhotoNut is in your area, and i am sure she would be glad to put you in touch with some sources of information in Idaho.

You can find BMI calculators in lots of places on the net, but i am certain you can find one at www.bandmd.com this is my surgeons site. just look for the BMI tab near the top of the page.

If you keep exploring on this board, you will learn more and more. You will find answers to questions that have not even occurred to you yet.

How old are you? Height? Weight?

[Dody 0]

Photo Nut can give you more info as she was banded here in Boise. There are only two dr's. here in this area that do the banding, a Dr. Cahn and a Dr. Anderson. The first step is attending a seminar to hear all the info on the band. Everyone has to do that and they will explain the procedure to it. It is done laparoscopically (much like a gallbladder surgery). You have some tests to go through first. I believe a psych eval and sleep study and a few other things. I have no idea if you insurance will cover it, because I don't know what type of insurance you have. I know people are having problems with Blue Cross and Blue Shield and they don't do Medicare patients. I would call one of their offices and find out where to call to set up the seminar. That would be your first step.

I'm getting banded in Tennessee where my family is am leaving for there before long. Like I said I think Photo Nut can give you the rest of the info as she was banded right here in Boise.

The band truly is major surgery (even though we don't like to think of it that way). They put a band around your tummy and a port to the left (or sometimes other places) that you get "fills" put into at different times. Don't take it lightly because like I said it is major surgery, but I think it is worth it, and obviously from the forum here most agree.

Good luck on your journey.

[PhotoNut 7]

Heyas again, IdahoGherl.

Dr. Cahn's office number is 208-706-5285. Talk to Sherry or Debra (Debra was banded in Dec). Either of them can tell you where and when the next seminar is, and they can answer your questions about the insurance and costs.

We also have a couple of good support groups going here in Boise. I've only been to one so far. It meets on the second Tuesdays of every month, in the white tent looking building behind St. Al's hospital. (You can see it from the connector). They meet from 7-8:30 and everyone is welcome - prebandsters to long time bandsters. A few of us from here go to these meetings. The other group is meeting again on April 14th. It's a more relaxed group that usually meets at a resturaunt once a month. I can let you know more about that next meeting when I find out.

As Dody said, there are only two surgeons in Boise that perform the lapband surgery, and if you go out of town to have the procedure done neither of them will accept you as an after care patient - unless there was an emergency. There are surgeons in Seattle and Portland that some have gone to. I know that the Dr who trained Dr Cahn is in Portland. And there is a fill center in Eagle for those banded elsewhere. So, you do have some options available.

As for the band and how it works, here are a couple of websites you can look at that give some great explainations:

This is a recording of a live web broadcast of the surgery being done. A lot of great information is given in this one-hour video. It's worth watching and isn't gorey or anything.

http://www.brighamandwomens.org/surgerywebcast/default.asp

This is a thread here on LBT that everyone has listed good links for more research on the band. I think it will keep you busy for some time.

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=11424

This is from Inamed's site, the makers of the band you will probably have:

http://www.allerganandinamed.com/products/obesity/us/clinician/lapband/prodinfo.html

[dawg 0]

Welcome to LBT Gherl!

[IdahoGherl 0]

Thanks alot guys! I'm really starting to learn more and more each day.This website is SO COOL! I LOVE IT! I guess i do have lots of questions

[IdahoGherl 0]

Thanks alot guys! I'm really starting to learn more and more each day.This website is SO COOL! I LOVE IT! I guess i do have lots of questions and to ask.But lots of info i never really thought about! I'm really interested in doing this.Altho cost would be a problem! Going to school at Boise State and working doesn't leave much income! But I think I can search some more and see if insurance will help.I have Blue Shield.:phanvan lots of bad things said.But WHO Knows! Im at 295 right now.Ive gained 95lbs since last summer.I really need to do something about it now tho!Again.Thanks alot!! I need all the help!

[PhotoNut 7]

Hey Amber.. Check out the student insurance you have at BSU. I know of a gal who's a student that was considerig weight loss surgery and she said it would be covered. Now I'm not sure if she was talking about the RNY or band, but it's worth checking into.

[IdahoGherl 0]

Kinda Silly.But whats the RNY?????